DemDaily: Something Special

DemDaily: Something Special

Republicans added two victories to their 2017 election count last night, with wins in both the Georgia 6th and South Carolina 5th Congressional District Special Elections.

The southern seats are two of six Congressional special elections this year, including five traditionally Republican seats vacated by Members to join the Trump administration.

In the five contests to-date, Republicans have held onto four, and the fifth, historically progressive seat, stayed in the Democratic column.

On the face, it is a wash for both parties with no gains for either going into the 2018 elections - but the breakdown on the numbers for each race still paints a positive picture for Dems, who came within 7% points of winning in three states where Trump beat Clinton last November by 18+%.

Georgia 6th
In Georgia's 6th Congressional District, which will go down as the most expensive Congressional election in history, Democrat John Ossoff lost to Republican Karen Handel 48.1% to 51.9% in a seat where Trump beat Clinton 48% to 47%.

The race, which had Ossoff and Handel in a dead-heat through the final five weeks of the campaign, was Democrat's greatest hope for a flip this year.

South Carolina 6th
Likewise, in South Carolina's special election, where Trump delivered a 57%-39% victory, Democrat Archie Parnell lost to Republican Ralph Norman by just 4%.

Dr. Kathie Allen, the Democratic nominee for Utah's 3rd CD

That leaves two remaining special elections in 2017: Utah's 3rd CD and the Alabama US Senate seat.

The Utah Democrat and Republican parties held their party conventions June 17th, nominating physician Dr. Kathie Allen (D) and former Utah State Representative Christopher Herrod(R) as their annointed nominees. The two will still have to face other qualifying candidates, including two Republicans, and five independent/unaffiliateds in the official August 15th primary.

The primary election for Alabama's US Senate seat, left vacant by now-US Attorney General Jeff Sessions, will be held August 15th, with the general election December 12th. Former Alabama State Attorney General Luther Strange was appointed by Governor Robert Bentley as interim Senator until the election is decided.